(NEXSTAR) – The countdown is on as early taxpayers await for the start of filing season Jan. 26, but there are some changes this year that experts say people should keep in mind to receive a fast, full refund.
Tax season is the annual period when taxpayers prepare and submit their income tax returns for the previous calendar year to the IRS and most U.S. citizens and permanent residents need to file a tax return if they make more than a certain amount of money for the year.
Layoffs and a major change to the refund process
Tax experts, including the IRS’ independent watchdog, have warned that this year’s filing season could be hampered by the loss of tens of thousands of tax collection workers who left the agency through planned layoffs and buyouts spurred by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Changes at the IRS also include the end of paper refund checks, an option many already use.
“Receiving a refund by direct deposit has always been faster, but some taxpayers are reluctant for the IRS to have their bank account information,” Adam Brewer, of AB Tax Law, told Nexstar in an email. “For those taxpayers, opening a new account that is just used for tax purposes may be worthwhile.”
IRS Direct File, the electronic system for filing tax returns for free, will also not be offered this year, the Trump administration confirmed in December. The Free File program remains in place for eligible taxpayers with a household adjusted gross income (AGI) under $84,000.
Tips for getting your full refund
Thanks to year-2025 provisions in the Trump administration’s signature spending bill, taxpayers are expected to receive larger-than-usual refunds this year, thanks in large part to the unadjusted withholding done before the big, beautiful bill’s passage last summer, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
For those itemizing deductions on their return, the IRS highlights four major provisions from the bill: the deduction for seniors, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on car loan interest. You can see a full list of the tax-related provisions on the IRS website.
“You definitely want to keep in mind, like if you’re a beautician or an aesthetician that you may fit into one of those professions that are eligible for that new deduction for tips,” Lisa Greene-Lewis, CPA and tax expert at Intuit TurboTax told Nexstar. “Also, if you’re a firefighter police officer and you work overtime, you would be eligible for that deduction.”
Brewer cautions that taxpayers should still read the “fine print” when it comes to the recent tax law changes to make they fully understand how their tax return – and refund – will be affected.
“A lot of these changes sound great, but you may not actually qualify or the savings may be limited,” Brewer said. “As an example, no tax on tips will save many taxpayers, but the deduction is limited to the first $25,000 in tip income and only for those qualified tips.”
For those taxpayers who had a baby in 2025, there could be a substantial financial bonus come tax time, Green-Lewis says.
“You want to have that Social Security number because kids are worth valuable deductions and credits,” Greene-Lewis told Nexstar. “But you have to have that accurate Social Security number in order to claim those deductions.”
Don’t miss out on applicable tax credits
Tax credits allow taxpayers to subtract dollar-for-dollar from their income tax bill, but many people miss out simply by failing to claim them.
“The IRS reports every year that one out of five people missed the earned income tax credit and also the retirement saver’s credit,” Greene-Lewis said. “So the earned income tax credit, that is a credit for a family with three kids that can be up to $8,046. So that is a lot of money.”
The enhanced adoption credit provides up to $5,000 for eligible taxpayers.
Others, such as the clean vehicle and home energy credits, expired in 2025 but could still be claimed depending on the timing of the vehicle purchase or home modification.
Tax filing season goes through Wednesday, April 15, according to the IRS.
